Wonderlube

T is forever getting really bad diaper rash. I know most of the triggers (citrus, tomatoes, teething), but he also gets random diaper rash. Something in his poo blisters his poor little butt and it seemed like nothing took care of the problem. Until ... Resinol! When we were in Annapolis for Andy's graduation, Audrey told me about this wonderlube. She used it on Abby when she was a baby and continues to use it for sunburn, bug bites, and anything that itches or burns. A thick coating on his bum at bedtime, and he wakes with pink, baby smooth skin. Seriously, it's a wonderlube.

Baby and the Beach

We took T to the Jersey shore for the first time this season on Saturday. He thought it was AWESOME. He spent a good portion of the time getting sand into every conceivable crevice he possessed. The waves were really big (actually, 3 people died the day we went to the beach), and T stood for the better part of an hour watching.

I enjoy the beach for a couple of hours. Then I'm done. I'm tired of sand rubbing my skin raw. Babies have no such consideration. T thought sand was the best. He would eat it, throw it in the air, roll around in in and climb into sand holes other beach-goers dug. I'm quite sure he would have stayed there all day if the adults hadn't been over it. It could have been the novelty, but I think T likes the beach.

Adios

Toothbrush. Toilet. Flush.

More Sesame Fun

T and I went to Sesame Place again yesterday with my friend C and her daughter, Q. We were supposed to meet up with some other folks from our mom's group, but didn't end up finding them until we were leaving.

They had a blast! As we were leaving, we saw a daycare group of probably twenty 3 or 4 year olds leaving. I am so grateful to be able to share these experiences with my son, instead of hearing about them afterward. My life is truly blessed.

Ovals Only

T has one of these Tupperware shape sorters. It's one of his favorite toys. Whenever we play shapes, he always grabs the oval first. Always. Next is generally the X/+ shape you see in the picture. What's up with that?

Independence Day Drama

We went to a friend's house for a July 4th barbecue Saturday afternoon. Quite a few of our friends were there, along with some of Ry's colleagues who might be most accurately described as folks who end up at the same parties we do. We had a great time, especially since our hosts have a baby of their own and were able to offer up a pack 'n play for T. We actually didn't leave the party until 11 pm or so. I digress ...

Two of the people there were one of Ry's colleagues and his brother. They and their dates got beyond wasted. Watching the spectacle was entertaining, especcially when one of the dates in question completely missed her chair and swan-dived on the deck. Then brother and his girlfriend got into an argument (a frequent occurence from what I understand). Then the dial was turned to drama. They went outside to discuss and came inside only when brother broke the window of the van with a golf club.

Now, as the beer cart girl at a country club for a summer, I saw my share of golf club tirades. They mostly consisted of thrown clubs and divots in the ground where said clubs were used as hammers. Of course, they also had to do with ... golf. Everyone gets angry. I get it. Gotta tell you, if my significant other used a golf club to bash in a car window during an argument, that would be the last moment the other was significant. The poor girl came inside and asked for a garbage bag so she could go clean up the mess. Seriously? She needs to run as fast as her legs can carry her before she gets entangled in a more permanent way. Here's the kicker. The brothers are sons of a pastor.

All in all, the evening made me 1.) Very thankful for my husband 2.) Very glad I'm not dating anymore and 3.) Very glad that my life makes me only a spectator in this kind of drama.

Cute Things He's Doing This Week

1. Meowing at the cat
2. Pushing me up and down by my shirt when I'm sitting on the floor
3. Investigating our water glasses and saying "brrr" when he touches them
4. Dancing. To Everything. Even things that aren't music. Like the stupid Leapfrog Lily that my sister bought him. That he loves. (I have a long memory.)
5. Making a beeline for the baby pool every time we go outside. Even when we're just walking to the car and he's got his leather sandals on. Luckily they dry out pretty well.
6. Running around the crib after his nap trying to keep from getting caught. Then he stands in the corner and laughs.

Madrona Farm

This is something I've been meaning to blog about for several weeks, but keep getting distracted. When Ry and I went to visit his mom in Victoria, BC last year, we stopped at a little roadside food stand where they buy a lot of their produce, Madrona Farm. The island of Victoria has tons of little sustainable and eco-friendly farms.

The landowners have recently decided to sell the land, which will likely spell the end of Madrona. Jo and Mike have gotten involved with the Friends of Madrona Society, who are attempting to purchase the land and save the farm. Saving Madrona Farm will be posting video podcasts documenting the fight to save Madrona Farms. Read and tell people about this project, and if you're inclined, help in the fight.

Decisions, decisions

You're 15 months old. You have a cup of milk in one hand and a giraffe in the other. Your mom is slicing grapes and you really want one. What do you do?

Recent Happenings

My friend Autumn just spent the last 5 days visiting. It was wonderful. Ry let us go out a couple times for shopping and other girlie stuff. Thanks honey. Usually when we travel back to the prairie we're visiting so many people that I don't get to spend much time with her. We made up for lost time and talked about everything we missed in each other's lives in the past year. T also warmed right up to her since she's such a natural mom. Hoorah.

In other news, Ry was driving home from work the other day and saw one of the giant climbers sitting, waiting to be picked up by the trash man. We dropped by when he got home and chatted with the homeowners. They said their grandkids had outgrown it and it was ours for the having. We loaded it into the truck and sold it on craigslist for the exact amount we paid for ours. Hehe. Bonus.

Our friends who generally watch Chief while we're away just found out that she has to be on bed rest (at 10 weeks!). We thought we might have to board Chief when we go to Victoria in July. Instead, we got a flyer in our fence for "Ethan's Smiling Summer Service." Ethan is 9 years old and lives a few blocks up from us. He and his mom came over yesterday to get the lowdown on our trip. He's going to feed and litter Chief and water my garden while we're away. He's also super cheap. Apparently he has a lego addiction that his mom isn't feeding anymore. I think we're going to get the entire trip for what a couple of days of boarding Chief would have cost.

We've also met a nearby family with 2 teenage girls who babysit. Score!! They are coming over tomorrow to spend some time with T. Finally we may be able to go out for a date night like normal couples. Also, I need a babysitter for when Ry travels this fall, since I have a night class two days a week.

T is teething something wicked right now. He's trying to cut 2 molars and has been absolutely miserable for the past 2 days. He's been running a fever and going everywhere with a finger in his mouth. He ate pretty well most of today, but refused dinner. We finally got some grapes, a few bites of watermelon and chocolate ice cream down him. I just hope it's enough that he doesn't wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Pop molars, pop.

Shrimp Class

Today was our first day of swim lessons at the Y. T is part of the "Shrimp/Kipper" class, which basically means that we sing songs and blow bubbles for a half hour. It was fun though, and interesting to see how you go about teaching 3 toddlers to swim. Apparently the afternoon class has 12 people in it, and the instructor said our little class was much easier to work with. I don't realize what a giant T is until I see that he's bigger than the other 18-month-old kids in this class.

Make new friends

As I've discussed before, it's tough to make new friends, even when you share "events" centered around your kids. Since Ry is out of town tonight, T and I went to see a kid's concert at a nearby Barnes and Noble. We ran into a friend from my mom's group and she invited me to dinner with her daughter and husband. It was a really nice time, and fun to watch the kids together. They sat us at one of those big round booths (surprising not at the back of the restaurant) so the kids were in highchairs right next to each other. Hilarity ensued. They stole each other's crayons, food, and sippy cups and since the chairs were on wheels, kept scooting each other around.

It's also nice to have an adult conversation with people you genuinely enjoy. As my dad would say, they pass the beer test.

Still Normal

Today T had his 15 month physical. The doc says he is still normal. He's right on track developmentally, and Dr. Z dismissed my concerns about his not being particularly verbal yet. She said that by 18 months he should be saying 5 - 10 words and since he says 4 or 5 right now he's all good. Whew.

He weighed 24 pounds, 9 ounces today, which places him in the 50th percentile for weight. His head is also in the 50th percentile. He also grew almost 2 inches in the past 3 months and was 32.5 inches today. That, ladies and gentlemen, puts him in the 90th percentile for height. Dr. Z said that he's not underweight, he's just "settling into a tall, lean frame." 'Scuse me? How did we end up with a tall, lean baby? Also, he doesn't look lean to me, but I suppose that could be because he was so skinny for the first 4 or 5 months that now he looks delightfully chubby to me.

She also said that it's OK for T to have a tan. In fact, it's probably good for him to get some un-sunscreened sun each day (a few minutes). I don't usually buy into hype like this, but when I read about melonoma on the rise, it makes me want to do everything I can to keep his little skin burn-free. Oh, in the picture he is pouring the water out of the pool so he can then go splash in the puddles it makes. Apparently it's a lot more fun than actually playing in the pool.

A Sesame Adventure

We went to Sesame Place yesterday. For those who are not aware, Sesame Place is an amusement part designed for kids ages 2 - 7. T is a little bit young, but he still had a blast! Most of the attractions are water attractions, but they also have a fair number of kiddy rides. I think these shapes were designed to be climbed over, but T was tossing them around like he was a professional wrestler.



This is one of those spinny rides where the whole ride spins and the individual balloons spin. Ry wasn't a big fan, but T thought it was the best time he'd had in a long time.

I think this picture pretty much sums up how he felt about the water stuff. Seriously, he could've stayed at Elmo's water works the entire day and been a happy happy boy.

Here he is passed out in his stroller. He took over an hour long nap and slept really well last night. We bought season passes since it's only about 20 minutes away from the house. I decided we'd be a lot more likely to go here than the beach, which is more like an hour and twenty minutes away.

My Tiny Love,

Today you are almost 15 months old. I can only hope I will remember today for the rest of my life. I want to remember it not because you were perfectly behaved (you weren't) or because you didn't throw any tantrums (you did), but because it so perfectly encapsulates the little boy you are becoming too quickly.

This morning we went shopping to buy your Daddy a Father's Day gift. He's terrific, by the way. You are a very lucky boy to have a Dad like him. You have his sweet nature and good heart. I can tell already. You got a little cranky because you were tired of sitting in a shopping cart. I don't blame you.

After we got home, you made it abundantly clear that you were ready for a nap. After a week and a half of 3 hour naps, you surprised me with a 1 hour nap today. I barely made it into the shower before you got up. Then you made short work of your lunch. Today it was bread, leftover chicken and mixed vegetables. Really though, you only eat the carrots and green beans.

We also went to Lee's Turkey Farm today to meet up with some other Moms and babies and to pick strawberries. At first, you were content to run up and down the rows. After you figured out that you could pick the strawberries off the plants yourself ... watch out. You were covered with red, sticky juice in an instant. You ate the leaves and stems too. Mmm, fiber. At least it wasn't rocks or mulch this time. I paid the cashier extra for your little field banquet.

Your Dad was helping some friends move tonight, so it was just you and me for dinner and bedtime too. I made your favorite meal, pasta with peas and pesto. You make yummy noises when you eat, just like your Daddy.

After dinner we went outside to play. It was a really beautiful evening. You discovered the joy of throwing your sippy cup down the slide. Again and again you would retrieve it, give it a toss and look up at me and say "Uh Oh." You also slid down the slide all by yourself for the first time tonight. When you got up, I said "Yeah, Tucker" and you clapped your pudgy little hands. I chased you around the yard for a little while and then just sat and watched you play. Words cannot explain how much I love you or how much peace is in my heart when you are near.

Now you're sleeping. You rock and put your little butt in the air when you go to sleep. It's when you're sleeping that I remember how big you've gotten. You fit in your crib now in a way you never did when you were an infant. I love you so much, little man. I can't wait to see what you'll come up with tomorrow.

Love,
Mommy

Some complaints

Because I feel like complaining.

1. My ears itch.
2. Whenever I swallow they also crackle.
3. And my throat still feels like someone wedged a balloon behind my tonsils.
4. It's supposed to be 99 F tomorrow.
5. The organic pest stuff I used on my garden makes my hands smell like eggs.

A week of illness and singing produce

All 3 of us have been sick this week. We've all had some mutation of a cold that started with T, took up residence in Ry and finally wormed it's way past my immune system yesterday. Poor T was finally feeling pretty good today and I, of course, felt like my head might explode at the tiniest noise. Instead of going to the park or playing outside all day, I flipped on Veggie Tales and dragged myself outside onto one of the patio chairs so T could play.

Veggie Tales, by the way, is high comedy. The people who produce this stuff have a wicked sense of humor. The characters, of course, are all produce with a flair for the dramatic and a love of Gilbert and Sullivan. I have to say that the "Joking Sumo" (sung to the tune of Mikado's "Wandering Minstrel") is one of my favorites. There is a song about a squash jonesing for a cheeseburger with lettuce that I find a bit disturbing. Does this make them cannibals? Anyhow, it's nice to have a kid's show that a.) has a good message, b.) doesn't condescend to kids and c.) doesn't make me want to bang my head against the wall.

A surprise behind every door

I had just walked in from the store
I heard slashing behind the tub door
In the bath having fun
Were my husband and son
Then T looked up and signed "no more"

Sunscreen and little boys

Every time we go outside, I slather T in a 60+ sunscreen. Despite my best efforts, he is *still* getting a tan. The last time we saw the doctor, he "reminded" me to use sun block whenever I take T outside. What else can I do? Run around after him with the sunscreen bottle?

Catch 22

We started looking into some child care options for T for a few half days a week. We were looking to see if we could afford some child care to a.) give me a little non-baby time and b.) give me options to take more than one class a semester and still see my husband. We checked out the Goddard School, which as Ry put it, is the "Cadillac of Day Care Centers." Cannot afford. The private care options are better, but still expensive, and many commercial day care centers don't allow half days until your child reaches the age of 2.

See, here's the issue:

I'd really like to be able to finish my degree in less than 4 years both because I'm excited to start my career as a nurse and also because I'd like to start contributing to our household sooner rather than later (I have latent guilt over not contributing income). In order for us to afford child care I would need to go back to work or drastically change our lifestyle. Part time options aren't great, but are available. The problem is that I'd be using the child care to go to work, not to go to school. Now, I'm working to pay for child care and still taking classes in the evening. The drastic lifestyle changes aren't really an option either since we'd like to remain homeowners and all that. We qualify for zero financial aid (except unsubsidized loans). Is it worth it to acquire some debt short term so I can finish school a couple years sooner and therefore start working earlier or does it make more sense to just take my class or two a semester? This is all complicated, of course, by the fact that we aren't done having kids and I may need to take a semester or two off.

Umm. Grrr. I wish that I would have known what I wanted to do with my life 10 years ago when I was going to college the first time.

One Week

It took one week to regrow the skin on my pinkie finger. Today I have the tiniest little scab where there was an open 3/4 wound last Thursday morning. It was actually very interesting to watch the skin grow back from the outside in. I generally forget to keep cuts covered and neosporined like I should, so I usually end up with a big scar. This time I actually kept on top of it and got to watch the skin knit itself back together day by day. Skin is pretty cool stuff.

Ice Cubes

T enjoys removing and replacing things from boxes, drawers, and whatever else he can get his hands on. After dinner tonight, he wanted my soda cup. Since we were outside I just threw the ice cubes on the ground and gave him the cup to play with. He took the cup, went and rescued an ice cube and spent the next 10 minutes (until it melted) putting into and removing it from the cup.

10 (or more) things, the graduation edition

1. Aside from the hideously boring 'read every graduate's name' part, an Annapolis graduation is very cool.

2. Everything is more impressive in uniform.

3. My cousin is really, really tall. Even in a sea of tall, uniformed men, he's tall.

4. The Annapolis class of 2008 contained 20.1% women. This surprises me.

5. The most important thing I learned this weekend was to "not kiss unimportant ass." This is good advice I will have to remember.

6. T was outrageously good this weekend. His nap and sleep schedule was really screwed up and he was very rarely cranky. A long sleep last night (over 12 hours) seems to have returned the balance.

7. T is obsessed with doors. Opening and closing. Closing and opening. You'd think there was some kind of baby door crack.

8. My family rocks and I miss them all the time.

9. It's nice to get home from a trip on Saturday night of Memorial Day weekend. It's like we have a bonus weekend. The weather was gorgeous today and T discovered the joy of playing in water in the backyard. We have some great naked as a jaybird post-soaking pictures on the patio. He is so freaking cute.

10. Watching T put himself to sleep lately is like particularly good performance art. It generally involves lots of butt-in-the-air rocking and singing. It is especially fun to reenact these performances for your husband after the baby is asleep.

11. A safety razor can slice the crap out of your finger, even through a plastic bag.

12. When applying sunscreen for an outdoor graduation ceremony, it's important to remember where your hair is parted.

10 things

1. Sometimes I wish I had T's lack of fear. Today, I spilled scalding hot coffee all over my hand at Barnes and Noble. Once I made sure I didn't get T, I set about trying to clean up after myself and let the staff at the cafe know what I had done. T, on the other hand, splashed about in the coffee puddle and said "Uh oh, uh oh, uh oh."

2. In the past 2 weeks, I have had two separate people guess that I was 16 years old. Really? Looking young is a great thing, but 16 is no compliment.

3. My mothering instincts have taken me places I never expected. The other day I was changing T's diaper, when he grabbed the poopy one and flung it over to the changing table. The perfect little turd that was inside landed right next to his head. I grabbed the thing with my bare hands to keep him from rubbing it all over his head. It wasn't until I had restored calm to the situation that I realized I had just grabbed poo with my bare hands. Ew.

4. T discovered today that his wiener is much more interesting that a book about farm animals.

5. Someday, he'll discover this blog and be mortified.

6. I won't much care.

7. Packing to go anywhere these days is a mini series. The days of carrying on and worrying about meals when we get to the airport/car are over.

8. We go there so often that the people at Chik-Fil-A now know T on sight. Come back sun!

9. I really miss having close girlfriends. My mom's group is great, but I want someone I can call at noon and ask to meet me for lunch and a trip to Target boutique at 1 pm.

10. I'm signing us up for swimming lessons this summer. I realize it's probably a big early, but everyone out here has a pool (and there's the ocean). I want him to be comfortable in the water and learn to swim early.

Save us, purple Jeebus

I have been hearing about the purple Jesus prayer rug on the internet and from friends. Hallelujah, we finally received a Jesus prayer rug of our very own today from "Saint Matthews 57-Year-Old Church." You assure me that if I pray on my fancy paper prayer rug for 24 hours (or just put it under my bed) and then send it back to you with my seed gift, my prayers will be answered. I'm pleased to see that among the prayers that purple Jesus will answer are "Confusion in My Home, A New Car, and a Specific Amount of Money." My home is certainly not confusing enough. Not only that, you've thoughtfully provided me a postage paid envelope to send in my gift. Because the world's money is the devil's money, I am sending my envelope filled with earthly treasures, soil from the earth so you can plant my seed gift.

I tried and tried to see Jesus's eyes opening and looking into my own, as you promised on my prayer rug. Alas, purple Jesus won't look at me! Perhaps it's because I've angered him by opening my sealed prophecy before returning the holy rug. Be assured that I will follow your other directions and return the rug within 24 hours, since, "These next 24 hours are crucial to (me). Timing is important to God." I can only pray that purple Jesus will bless me with a "Big 6 Room House" like he did for Mrs. T.F. in Texas. Please send me my 2 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch "beautiful, blessed, Prosperity Cross." Please send my purple Jesus to "another family that's in need of a blessing." And finally ... Shame. On. You.


For more on the purple Jesus head scam, see here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

In case you can't tell

The shirt says "Mr. Happy"

I (sort of) miss grad school

Grad school holds the unique place in my life where I felt the smartest and the stupidest. After my first few days, I was convinced that the admissions committee must have switched my application for someone else's. I spent the next 2 years wondering how I had gotten lucky enough to study with and learn from these brilliant people. I also finished up feeling like I created the best scholarship I will likely ever produce.

My life today certainly doesn't provide the highs or lows of those sleep deprived years. I miss feeling like my brain was stretching every day. At the end of the day, I'm craving conversation that doesn't have to do with bodily functions, food or developmental milestones. I hope that taking classes again will fill the brain function void I'm currently experiencing.

A word problem

As I mentioned earlier, we planted our vegetable garden yesterday. Ry bought a soil test several weeks ago to see if our dirt was pH balanced. Yes, I know it seems geeky, but we've had a heck of time getting grass to grow here on the homestead, so we're trying knew things. Anyhow, we didn't get around to actually testing the soil in my garden until today. (Cue ominous music.) If you garden at all, you probably know that tomatoes like slightly acidic soil. The soil in my garden was about an 8.5 (7.0 is neutral for those of you who don't remember or slept through high school chemistry). The pH scale is logarithmic, which means that 8.5 is ten times more basic than 7.5. Anyhow, my garden is at the wrong, wrong, wrong end of the scale.

Generally, when your dirt is imbalanced, you would mix in some stuff with the "native" soil to achieve the correct balance. Yeah ... should've tested the soil earlier. So, do I ...

a.) Dig up my plants, mix in some garden sulfur and replant.
b.) Buy some fertilizer and soil additive and sprinkle it around the plants, water well, and hope for the best.
c.) Do nothing. I'm screwed. My tomatoes will once again suck this year.

And to your right ...

I have a few links on my blog for sites that I read most days. My most recent addition my former course director's blog, First Efforts. She's a professor chick who specializes in visual rhetoric. She has some really interesting insights about what pictures tell us. I've really enjoyed reading it, especially this political season. Also, she has a great sense of humor.

Garden and the gnome

The first year we planted a vegetable garden, it grew beautifully. We had tomatoes coming out our ears and zucchini the size of our arms. I couldn't eat any of it of course, since I was puking 3 times a day ... but no matter. Last year I was excited for a repeat performance since I could enjoy the fruits of our labor. Alas, aside from a few handfuls of grape tomatoes, our garden was largely a bust.

This summer, I bought our veggie sprouts from the nursery we used the first year and bought a garden gnome to bring us good garden luck. I have to assume that since they're called "garden" gnomes, our little guy will bring us a bountiful harvest. Plus, he's carrying a frog and I like frogs.

Teaching him the important things

As part of teaching T his body parts, I'll do something silly when he correctly identifies a given part. For example, he gets tickled when he locates his belly. He gets his head rubbed when he finds his head. When he shows me his feet, I'll sniff them and say "pee-ewe, stinky feet." He thinks this is hysterical. Today he kept trying to say "pee-ewe." At least he's learning the important things for life. Banana and pee-ewe ... what else does a kid need to know?

Nom nom nom

Darn, if only I had more than 4 teeth.

Sippy Cup (and Shoe) Retention

I have to wonder what my sippy cup turnover is going to be by the time T is finished with them. I'm forever finding his sippy cups in new locations (like the ottoman, tupperware drawer and under various pieces of furniture). During naptime, I go searching for lost sippy cups since finding one with milk in it after a few days is truly revolting.

We also almost lose a shoe every time we go grocery shopping. Today I was in line at customer service to see if his shoe had been turned in when I saw it peeking out from under one of the produce bins. Babies would be much cheaper if you could hang onto the stuff you buy.

Crayons, or why I should trust my instincts

During the big evening out, one of the other moms was talking about the art projects her 10 month old son brings home from day care. I asked, with incredulity, what kind of art projects a 10 month old can make. She told me about finger paints and paint blobs.

I though T was a little too young for paints and crayons and art projects, but then I thought, if a 10 month old can do it, certainly my 13 month old can too. I went to Target and bought these beginner crayons. The packaging says they're for 12 months and older. All the commercials show babies delightfully coloring away, chubby little hands grasping the fat end. I even asked Ry to bring home some big paper from work so we would have a large space to work on.

So this morning I opened the crayons and laid out the big paper in the middle of the kitchen floor. Now, here's where I should've trusted my first instinct.

It. Was. A. Disaster.


First off, T was far more interested in trying to bite the heads off the crayons than using them. I spent a good 7 or 8 minutes just getting him to hold the darn things the right way. Joy! He actually made a few marks on the paper ... with the paint on the sides of the crayon holder. Then he thought it would be great fun to run around the kitchen marking on everything except the giant paper in the middle of the floor. Dishwasher, walls, floor, it didn't matter as long as it wasn't paper. I finally had enough when he plopped his little butt right in the middle of the paper and proceeded to wriggle around in every way he could think of to wrinkle the paper. Maybe we'll try again when everything doesn't go directly into his mouth.

Wii!! MarioKart!

Ry went and picked up his reserved copy of MarioKart for the Wii this morning. We've been playing ever since. This is probably the only video game that we own that I'm more excited about than him. We used to play this game for hours during the infamous summer. Tomorrow, back to being a grown up. We sure had fun today though.

Thoughts from cat

So, there I am, minding my own business on my favorite couch cushion. I've already been reduced to begging for the "food" to be refilled today. Then, I turn around and the big woman is coming at me with a hose attached to the giant sucking box. As if the daily humiliation I have to endure at the hands of the little one isn't enough. The next time she takes off her wedding ring, I'm eating it. I'm not giving it back until they take that vile thing back to the hospital.

Love currency

T really likes to feel our teeth. I assume this is because he's only got the 4 and they're new toys, so he wants to know how ours feel. Yesterday, we were sitting on the floor and he was feeling my teeth. I'm not sure how it got started ... I would let him feel my teeth and then when he started poking my gums, I'd close my mouth tight so he couldn't get his little fingers in. Then he'd grab my face and give me a big slobbery kiss. Then I'd let him feel the teeth again. This must've gone on for 15 or 20 minutes. Maybe it's wrong to barter for kisses, but I'd do it again.

Feelings of inadequecy

I went out this evening with several of the mothers from my mom's group. For the most part, I had a great time. I left a little early so I could stop and get a pedicure and enjoyed the first part of the dinner very much. Then came the inevitable mommy comparisons. Keep in mind that these are driven women who are college educated (often at the master's or JD level). These are women who expect the best of themselves and those around them. Their juniors take gym class, attend daily library activities, do art projects and participate in music class.

Several of the moms actually discussed how it was unfair to kids not to attend preschool for several years before kindergarten because they'd be so far behind. I'm not sure if we can afford preschool in a few years. I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. I know we can't afford $165 for 10 weeks of music class.

Here I was thinking that it was enough that T was happy and healthy. I realize it does no good to compare, but I can't help wondering if T isn't talking yet because he's not getting the proper stimulation. I'm just not one of those mommies who can give running commentary all day like you're supposed to ("Look T, it's a truck. What color is the truck? The truck is red. Look T, there's a bug. What do you see? Do you see the rock? No, baby, we don't eat rocks.") Unfortunately, I think I'd truly be a babbling idiot by the end of the day. I tried it a couple of times, but it's just unnatural. We talk about things when they're relevant.

How much of a leg up do these activities really provide? Am I stunting him in some way? My kid really likes to eat mulch right now. We're working on identifying his legs and telling his ears and head apart. How much better will he develop in "separation class" (seriously, you do an activity with your child and then leave halfway through to get them ready for preschool)? Just when I was finally feeling like I had this mommy thing under control I realize that there's always something new to worry about.

Dirt and a 13 month old

It doesn't seem to matter how often I wipe his hands and face. Nor does it matter if we aren't even in a dirty place. T will find the dirtiest thing around, put his hands in it, and likely try to eat it. I can't tell you how many times I've said "No baby, we don't eat rocks" today. He can be sitting completely still (a rare occurrence), and the dirt will leap onto him. Dirt hides in every little baby crevice, behind each ear, and under his fingernails. Dirt: thy home is baby.

Awesomeness

After many weeks of craigslist stalking, I finally secured a large climber for T. We were doing yard work outside and I came in and happened to refresh the craigslist page and the listing for this little beauty was the first on the list. The woman we bought it from said she had at least 3 other emails shortly after I emailed (15 minutes after the listing posted). Anyhow, we picked it up for a quarter of the retail price. Wahoo!!!!

There is also a picture of it loaded into the Pathfinder last night. Ry had a lot of pride in this load in. Yeah for an engineering degree.

Also, a picture of T "helping" us to clean it up. He had a blast. We had to strip him down to his diaper for naptime, he was soaked.

Yum

Diet Strawberry Limeade

1 Can Diet Sprite, Sierra Mist or generic clear soda
1 Teaspoon strawberry jam or preserves (not jelly)
1/6 Lime
Ice

Put ice in large cup (with lid works best). Put jam and lime juice in cup, followed by soda. Stir or shake until everything is, well, shaken. Enjoy. Yummy

Freedom

Three days before T's 13 month birthday, we dropped the final (nighttime) nursing. I find I am having two distinct and distinctly conflicting responses to this:

1. Joy. For the first time in almost two years, there is no one living in my body or drawing complete or supplemental nutrition from me. I can eat what I want, drink what I want and stop wearing the hideous nursing bras the fashion industry has left behind.

2. Melancholy. For me, this signals the end of my son's babyhood, even more so than walking. Also, I find that I'm really missing the baby snuggle time I had with him in the mornings and before bed. Ry has been putting him to bed for the last 3 nights. Last night, it only took 2 minutes, so even after I take over again, I won't have the delicious sleepy snuggle time before bed.

T, on the other hand, seems to be handling it pretty well. The first night Ry said he seemed confused, but ultimately drank the milk from the sippy cup and went right to bed. The second night, as he was getting sleepy, he kept trying to turn toward Ry, as if to nurse. (Hearing this later about broke my heart). He got a bit fussy, like "this isn't right." Last night, it took all of 2 minutes to put him down. He drank some from the sippy cup, looked up at Ry with heavy eyes and feel asleep in his crib 30 seconds later.

All in all, weaning T was nowhere near as bad as I feared (and heard) it was going to be. Granted, it was a 3 month process, but it was worth it to go so slowly.

T Tricks

Yesterday, T's Tantie was asking what new tricks he was doing these days. I gave her a few examples. He gets up from the floor on his own now, he tells us when he's all done at dinner, he practically climbs into the bathtub on his own. This might be my new favorite though. He'll empty his toy bucket and climb in. Then he'll spend a good 15-20 minutes hanging out in the bucket, climbing out and climbing back in.

I love the spring

We bought a counter-height table this month after 3 years of shopping. It's never just a table though. We realized that T's highchair was now too short for the table. He's going to be ready for a booster chair pretty soon, so we got him this one, that converts to a booster seat by removing the tray and the seat back. A happy consequence is that it's really easy to strap to our patio chairs. Here we are (well, here T is) in our first cookout of the season.

Score!

So I finally got a climber on craigslist yesterday. It's one of the little ones, but I figure I'll keep looking for a big one and in the meantime, T won't outgrow this one this summer anyhow. For 20 bucks, it's totally worth it!

You know what makes you feel old?

Going to register for classes at a community college. I realized that not only am I hopelessly uncool (and how cool can you be in flat shoes toting around your toddler?), but I am also much nearer the age of the instructors than the majority of the students. On the bright side, I may be able to find a babysitter in one of my classes!

For the moment, I'm registered for only one class. The evening classes appear to fill faster than the daytime classes and I'm a little late to the game for the fall semester. I also have to wait for my transcripts from high school and WIU to arrive before I know for sure how many classes I have to complete prior to the core nursing curriculum. Apparently, it takes about a month for credits to be applied, so it's looking like I'll only be taking one class this fall. It'll be good to break us into my going to school again.

Seriously cute

T has those little snap together beads that he mostly uses as chew toys. Today he would put his finger in the opening and pull it out. This made a little popping noise as the vacuum was broken. Then, he'd throw his head back and laugh. Again and again.

At least it's something

Yesterday, the NJ Senate passed a bill allowing for up to 6 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or sick relative. Employees would receive 2/3 pay up to $524 per week. This makes NJ one of only 3 states in the country that have any version of paid family leave. The estimated cost to taxpayers is $33 per year. It's certainly not everything it could be, but it makes me proud to live in NJ and gives working mothers a chance to stay home for at least a little while with their newborns or families to care for each other without bankrupting themselves. Bravo NJ.

And the adventure begins

Today I finally got some of my questions answered about the admissions process for the nursing program. Turns out, they won't be needing my SAT scores (good thing, since they're 13 years old). The transcript from my undergrad and the application is all they need. I asked about my master's classes and the woman from the admissions office said something about them being "not applicable." Yeah, I'm going to be a big old waste of a master's degree.

Anyhow, I'll be admitted to a pre-nursing curriculum prior to the actual nursing program. They do this primarily because admission into the program is quite competitive and they want people to have finished all their prereqs before taking one of the available slots. Admission in the fall is for more traditional students. Classes are in the daytime. I'll be looking for admission in the spring, which offers evening and weekend classes. It looks like the earliest I'll be admitted to the actual nursing curriculum is spring 2010. Yikes. I should be able to start taking my prereq science classes this fall. All in all, it looks like it will take me almost as long to complete this AS program as my BA took. Guess that's what happens when you have other responsibilities.

The Colonel must have been thirsty

We were out running a few errands today when Ryan realized he was thirsty. The nearest fast food restaurant was KFC, so we drove through. I ordered a large soda for us to split and then rethought my choice and ordered an extra large. The girl at the drive through asked if I wanted a large or a mega jug. I am not a KFC frequenter. I thought mega jug was their way of saying extra large. This is what we received: a Mega Jug. This thing was not measured in ounces. No. Stamped proudly on the side was "Half Gallon." It comes with a handle. When the poor woman at the window handed it to me, I actually laughed in her face. Here's the saddest thing of all: over the afternoon we finished the damn thing.

Competition is fierce!

I've been trying to buy a used outdoor climber for several months now. I never realized how fierce the competition could be for these things. Almost as soon as one is posted on craigslist, someone has bought it. I guess no one else thinks a big cube of molded plastic is worth $200 either.

Things I've learned today

1. Grating 2 cups of carrots takes a lot more time than you might think.
2. My baby has seen me take his temperature enough times with the ear thermometer that he will now pretend to take his own temperature. This is absolutely adorable and keeps his hands away from his neither region while I change his diaper.
3. As bad as poopy diapers can be, I prefer them to changing the cat box.

The First of April

It just occurred to me that it's April Fool's Day. This is one of those holidays only celebrated by kids, the media and overgrown boys. Anyway, happy (merry, joyous?) April Fool's Day!

In other news, Ry is still out of town. I'm going to dinner with some friends tonight, which will help the week not suck. The mall where we're meeting has an extensive indoor kid's play area. It's been super rainy here the past couple of days, so aside from the big Target trip yesterday, T and I have been stuck inside. I think we're going to go to the mall early so he has time to blow off some steam. For some reason he has been ridiculously clingy the past 2 days. He wanted my attention every one of his waking hours yesterday. How do I keep this from becoming a habit? He's generally a pretty independent player, so I can only hope he's feeling a little clingy and will get over in a few days.

I just had a thought. We quit the morning nursing a few days ago. Perhaps this is the cause of his newfound insecurity? He didn't seem to miss it at all, but maybe this is the manifestation? I really expected to feel only relief at getting rid of the final 2 nursings per day. I'm finding that I miss my baby snuggle time in the morning (although not enough to start nursing again). I've been snatching him up for hugs and kisses more often to try and make up for it. This he enjoys not so much. It reminds me of the Jack Johnson song "I always have to steal my kisses from you." He'll kiss me back when he's in the mood.

I hope to have stopped the nighttime nursing by the time he's 13 months. I'm afraid this one will prove the most difficult. He's usually in a state close to coma by the time he's done nursing at night. I'm afraid the sippy cup just isn't going to cut it.

Well, I'm using my precious baby nap time to blog. I need to go do fun things like laundry. Happy April!

Evil, evil stairs

Yesterday morning, both Ry and I fell down our stairs. Ry kind of slid down the last two stairs with T in his arm (I've never moved so fast). Everyone OK. Then, about 15 minutes later, I tripped on the 4th or 5th stair and landed, hard, on my left tail cheek. I have a black bruise about 2 inches by 6 inches. It woke me up every time I moved last night. Our stairs are trying to maim us.

The Colony

I justed finished The Colony by John Tayman. It is a historical narrative of the leprosy settlement on Molokai, Hawaii. While the book has come under some fire for sensationalism, it was still a fascinating read.

The settlement began in the 1860s when 12 poor people were dumped off a boat onto the Kalawao peninsula without medical care, food or supplies. During it's first years, the death rate was over 50%. The book follows the settlement through it's final years of forced exile (in the 1960s). At its height, there were over 1100 people living in the settlement. It's truly an object lesson in what happens when panic and fear overcome rationality and empathy. At the same time, some truly outstanding individuals gave their lives to make life as beautiful as possible.

Leprosy is today called Hansen's disease and is one of the least contagious infections around. 95% of people have a natural immunity to it and for the other 5%, a series of unlikely situations has to occur to become infected. Today, Hansen's disease is treated with 3 powerful doses of antibiotics. After the first dose, the person is no longer contagious and at the end of treatment, the disease is gone. Left untreated, Hansen's disease sufferers lose sensation, eyesight, and limbs. Like HIV, most people die from other complications enabled by the infection.

As of the publish date in 2006, 28 people still lived in the settlement. It has become a national park and is a testament to society's cruelty and man's compassion and selflessness. I hope to visit someday.

If your friends are stupid ...

... and most people are ...

We had dinner with a dear friend of mine from long ago while we were in DC. She and I hung out almost continuously for several years through grade and middle school. I hadn't seen her in probably 8 years but found that we still had lots to talk about and many laughs.

As kids we had some crazy adventures. We made forts in neighbors' pine trees, spent endless hours in climbing trees, participated in a bug club, and taped hours of our own brand of crazy radio shows. I subjected Ry to an hour of one on the way home, "Sounds of Nature." Along with songs we made up were commercials, impressions, interviews and live concert feeds. One of the commercials began with the line "If your friends are stupid (and most people are) ..." Hehe. I am amazed by kid's ability to make stuff up. I have to imagine that my friend's mom had to have just shaken her head. I can't wait to see what T is going to come up with.

DC in review

T and I accompanied Ry on a business trip to DC this week. I like to think of these little trips as mini vacations. I walked my tail off this time. On Tuesday, T and I took in the traditional DC sites. Although I've been to DC twice, I didn't know that there was an FDR monument. It's really quite beautiful and covers many aspects of his presidency. Here T is joining in the depression-era soup kitchen line.

I met a really nice old dude staffing the info desk at the metro. He gave us some great out of the way kodak stops and ideas for when T gets a bit older.

We went to the zoo yesterday. It's the first free zoo I've ever been to. It did make for an interesting zoo experience. There were many more teenage hangers-out than you might normally see at the zoo. Overall, it was worth the stop, although I wouldn't plan a whole day around it.

Unfortunately, next week Ry leaves for a trip to Fort Worth, TX. Since this one involves a plane, we won't be coming.

What a difference a year makes

Happy Easter!

Perfectly Average

T had his 1 year check up today. He is nearly perfectly average in every way. Today he is 30 and 3/4 inches long and weighs 22 pounds, 1 ounce. That puts him in the 55th percentile for both (and for his head circumference). Developmentally he is right on track and his physical was great. The doctor pronounced him "just perfect." My just perfect baby ...

Another trip successfully navigated

We just returned from a long trip back home. Most of our family was there for at least part of the trip. I love returning to Oz. So many of the people we love are there.

For his part, T was charming and made everyone smile. He also finally cut 2 teeth. It's quite strange to see them poking through after a year of toothless, gummy smiles. I'm glad we've been flying with him since he was small. He travels like a champ, although the days of him flying on our laps are just about over. We'll do that once more when we go to Atlanta to see my sister graduate. Then we have to start buying 3 tickets! Yikes.

On a side note, T loves kids around his age. Yesterday we were having lunch and another woman sat at the table next to us with her son. T went crazy waving to the baby and twisting in his chair to see him. The other baby, for the record, looked confused.

No one had to be smacked

We had a very successful baptism weekend, and no one had to be smacked. The baptism went beautifully, and T was good for the entire church service. He had a little meltdown after the service, but I think it was because he was ready to get down and play. The apre-service get together went really well. There were probably 40 people at dad and stepmom's house. Food was good, fellowship was better, and T enjoyed the entire thing. Successfully navigated.

Not quite what I was going for

T likes to push buttons on the receiver. Today I kept telling him no as he reached for the dial. Since he was pulling his hand away, I thought it was working ... until he started giggling each time I told him no.

Emporia: A Play

J and Ry are sitting in their living room. J is on the couch, scratching a crossword lotto ticket. Ry is on the loveseat, surfing the internet. J looks up at Ry quizzically.

J: Emporia? Is emporia a word? I've never seen a word on these I didn't know.

Ry: Isn't it a store with a bunch of stuff?

J: No, that's an emporium. Look it up for me?

Ry: It's killing you isn't it? A word you don't know? Welcome to my world. Ry taps a few keys on the internet. Emporia, a town in Kansas.

J: Ha! It isn't a word!

Ry: Wait, emporia, plural of emporium. Plural could be emporiums or emporia.

J: Hrm.

The Toothpaste Game

I am the perennial loser in the toothpaste game. You may be wondering what I'm talking out. Ry and I use the same toothpaste. When we get to the end of the tube, both of us continue to use the toothpaste until it looks like the specimen here. I think Ry does it because he doesn't want to go searching for the new toothpaste in the hall closet. I keep eking out the toothpaste in some perverse desire to see if Ry will actually replace the tube. I always lose. This morning, the work it takes to get anymore from this tube was more work than I was up for. Now there's a new shiny tube in the vanity.

A Few Things

1. When T chews on his blue shoes, it turns his mouth and tongue blue, prompting a moment of great concern.
2. All the airlines are looking for ways to squeeze money from their customers. This morning I was charged a "seat fee" of $5 per seat, per flight in order to pick my own seat. Otherwise, it's the airline seat lottery. My luck, I'd end up on the opposite end of the flight from Ry, in the middle, next to smelly lady and scary staring guy.
3. The Wacky Gym is neither wacky, nor a gym. It's a big room with some big baby toys that costs $7 per hour. The zipline looked like fun, but I don't think T could've held on for long.
4. It was totally worth the $3 I spent at Chick-Fil-A to let T play in their Toddler Play Area for an hour.
5. I enjoy talking to other educated, articulate women about something other than poo and naptime.
6. Playdates are only partly about the kids.
7. No matter how many toys you have, tupperware is still the favorite toy.
8. It's leap day. Ry suggested I dress T in his frog costume and take him out on errands all day.

T takes his first steps!

Two of them, to be exact ... right into Ry's arms. He just stood up and walked into his arms. For the rest of the night we've been making him walk between us. We're slave drivers, I know. He mostly leans too far forward and kind of falls into our arms.

T and I went to a book club meeting this morning with two little girls who were both walking. He studied them the entire time we were there. Apparently he learned a lot. *Sniffle* My baby is growing up so fast!

Numbers

10 - Number of days until we go back to Illinois
11 - Number of days until T is baptized
15 - Number or days until my baby is a year old! (Insert quiet sobbing here).
26 - Number of days until we accompany Ryan to Washington DC
90 - Number of minutes until I go to my first book club meeting
180 - Number of minutes before T falls asleep in his car seat and doesn't take a nap at home

Real Life Kid's Products

Introducing the Real Life line of baby and children's products:

Real Life Crayons (also come in bath soaps) - colors include:

• Angry Baby Red
• Baby Eye Blue
• Merconium Green
• Spit Up White
• Poo Brown
• Poo Green
• Poo Orange
• Poo Yellow
• Baby Bottom Pink
• Oatmeal
• Chalk Board Black

Doo Rags Diapers
Packed in Little Squirt, Streams of Poo and Sh*t Storm sizes

Butt Rags Wipes

Butt Paste Diaper Cream (we'll have to team up with Boudreaux's)

The Plug Pacifiers - sold in a two-pack and packaged in an outlet-style box

The "Juice Me" Series of products to include:

The Juicer and Power Juicer Breast Pumps

• Bottles are larger at the bottom to keep them from tipping over when you finish pumping and try to put down the bottle only to accidentally spill it all over your carpet.

Juice Me Nursing Pillow
Juice Me Travel Nursing Pillow (two versions, one you have to blow up, the other with a built in air pump)

Bottles, Nursing Pads, Sippy Cups

Kiddotel

Now that T is mobile, we're learning that traveling with him is quite an adventure. With that in mind, I'd love to create the Kiddotel. Kiddotel would cater to families with kids of all ages. I'm thinking it would have to be in a kid mecca like Orlando. It would also be Hawaiian-themed. Again, because I said so.

Kiddotel would have a variety of hotel suites featuring twin beds, cribs and kitchenettes. Many would be baby-proofed, and they'd all come with a Wii. Guests will receive a lei upon check in and the room mini-bars will feature juice boxes and milk in addition to soda and beer.

The first floor would have an indoor/outdoor sea-turtle shaped pool (with waterslide), hot tub and kiddy pool. There would also be an indoor playground, gameroom, gym (with staffed nursery), and 2 restaurants. One restaurant would be staffed Ed Debevic's-style (probably not quite so snarky since trama meltdowns are poor for business). The wait staff will break out in nursery rhyme skits, songs and other silliness. The other restaurant will be a bit more "Dave and Barry's" for those with older kids or the crazies who didn't realize what they were getting into. It'll have a karaoke station and a bar (well stocked with adult beverages). A separate area will be a teen dance floor to cater to the awkward vacation romances that inevitably occur.

The front desk will offer stroller rental and there will be a shuttle to area attractions featuring car seats of various sizes. The lobby will be stocked with fishtanks full of tropical fish and lotsa crazy flowers. There will also be a spa with traditional adult type services (manicure/pedicure, massage, facials) and hair braiding, henna tattoos and face painting. It'll be the ultimate vacation destination for increasing numbers of families who travel with their children.

Keiki Cafe

I am always running into other mothers of young (pre-kindergarten) kids when I'm out and about. Like me, they're looking for things to do with their young'uns to get out of the house. Unfortunately, most places (if they're kid-friendly) are geared towards much older kids. I've met moms at bookstores, coffee shops, malls, Target-boutique, and even grocery stores that are looking for ways to get out of the house and expend some energy.

Thus was born the idea for Keiki Cafe (Keiki is Hawaiian for kid). Why Hawaiian? Because I said so. Anyhow, the Cafe will be a Bistro/Coffee Shop in the Hawaiian theme. Lots of fresh food, simple meals and friendly folks. In addition to traditional adult fare, it will offer steamed veggies as side dishes (I'm astounded by how few kid's meals aren't fried) and lots of fresh fruit. It will also sell baby food, whole milk and baby emergency items (disposable bibs, diapers, sippy cups). It might also sell my line of fun baby stuff.

The center of the cafe will have a sunken play area designed for the under 5 set. The floor will be that cool cushy stuff they make from tires and the playsets will continue the Hawaiian theme with giant flowers, sea turtles and pineapples. Tables will flank the sunken play area so moms (and dads) can keep tabs on their kids while they eat. The walls will be lined with chalk boards for table-time distraction. It will also have wireless internet for work at homers who have the kids.

Bathrooms will feature adult and kid sized everything (if you've been in the bathroom at a Babies R'Us you know what I mean). It'll also have a cushy chair for women who prefer to nurse in private.

So, what do you think? Seriously, I'd like your opinions. I certainly don't have the money (or time) to start something like this, but I've had a lot of ideas since T was born, and I'd really like to get some feedback. Is the niche too small? I realize that it could only be supported in a middle/upper income area. Would I have to broaden the concept? Anyhow, your feedback?

We've traveled quite extensively with T. I have another idea for a Kiddotel. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work nationwide, but might make a nice addition to kid-magnets like Orlando, FL. I'll expand on this one in another post.

Snow Day!

We woke up to about 3 inches of snow this morning, and have gotten another 2 or 3 since then. This is T's first adventure in the snow. I can't decide if he was having fun or merely humoring us. Either way, we had fun.

Kiddie Mosh Pit

Last night we experienced Miss Amy at a Chik-Fil-A nearby. I love Chik-Fil-A ... but I digress. Miss Amy is a middle-aged woman who sings and dances with toddlers. Holy crap do they love her. There were at least 25 little people bumping into each other, the walls, and the floors. Luckily, she stopped after about 45 minutes. Tucker was absolutely fascinated by the madness. It didn't deter him from eating dinner, but, still, he was fascinated. I think I'm in for more Miss Amy.

Really strange dreams

Last night, T let us sleep through the night until 5:30 (hooray feeling better baby!). As a consequence, my body must have done some really strange things with the extra sleep. The two dreams I remember from last night were, to say the least, strange:

1. Fred Thompson (the one who ran for President) and his silly wife were trying to seduce me by buying me expensive clothes and wine.

2. A woman I knew from a previous job (and haven't thought of since) was hired to be a bodyguard. She was telling me about her new job, which included guarding against a very large, blue snake that tried to eat the left side of my face before she shot it.

Psyche, what are thou saying?

Seriously, feel better, ok?

Poor little man is still feeling crummy today. This is day #4 with a temperature, runny nose, and scary cough. When we checked on him at 4 am, his temperature was over 102 F. He got a tepid bath at 4 am. The temperature is lower today, but he still obviously feels ug. It makes my heart hurt to see him so uncomfortable. I had to go to CVS today to get more baby Tylenol and "probe covers" (take a wild guess what those are for).

He's sleeping on Ry right now. While he took a nap in his crib this morning, it wasn't very long, and I think he gets cold since he's running a temperature. He's taken most of his naps on one or the other of us during the past 3 days. If he's not feeling better tomorrow, I'm calling the doctor.

Bawawawawawa

Virginia Beach Aquarium

We took T to the Virginia Beach Aquarium while we were there this week. He was fascinated, especially by being able to touch the alligator and rays. He didn't want to leave the big tanks. I think he'd have happily spent an hour at any given exhibit. I also got my sea otter fix, so it was a good visit for all of us.

Poor baby, feel better soon

T has been feeling poorly for the past couple of days. It started with a phlegmmy sounding cough earlier this week and progressed yesterday to a full-fledged cold. Amazingly, this is the first time he's been sick in his life.

We have an ear thermometer and discovered today that when a child has an ear infection, you are likely to get two drastically different temperatures in each ear. He's handling it pretty well. He is crankier than normal, but not what I would expect from a sick kid. The upside for me is that he's been very snuggly. Poor, poor boy.

Survived the tornadoes ... going to the beach

T and I spend last week with my mom in Memphis. Other than spending an hour or so in the closet during the freak February tornadoes, we had a great time. It's nice having someone to chat with during the day.

I have decided that I will not be traveling alone with my son again unless he has his own seat. On the first flight, there was no one sitting next to us. I was able to strap T in so he could have his dinner and I could get into my bag. The flight home was a bit more complicated. We sat next to a man with no personality that I could detect. T was really good, but it was still nigh impossible to get anything out of my bag for him to eat or play with. With Ry, I think we have a few more months. Without him, T gets his own seat.

We're going with Ry to Virginia Beach this week. As fun as it will be, it's only supposed to be in the 50s, so it's not really a "beach" vacation. We'll be staying right on the boardwalk though, so lots of long walks are in my future. There is also supposed to be a good aquarium in town, so we'll be checking that out. Last time we went to PetsMart, T cried when we left the kitties (and the fish, birds and rodents). The aquarium should be fun.

This is why there are not so many postings lately. Will do my best to catch back up after Thursday.

Happy Anniversary to Us

Happy Anniversary to Us! We're going out with Tucker, since we weren't able to find a babysitter. At least we're going out.

Baby OCD

The other night T had his jammies on the ottoman. He spent between 10 and 15 minutes taking them off the ottoman and putting them on the floor. Then, back on the ottoman. Floor. Ottoman. Floor. Ottoman. Floor. Ottoman. Well, you get the idea. Funny how he has all these toys and his favorite activities are playing with the tupperware, climbing on his highchair and flinging his clothes around.

Hooray new tires

The BMW had a big bubble on one of the tires for the past month or so (yes, Dads, I know we shouldn't have been driving on it). Since we only had a month or so of treadlife, we had to replace all 4 tires. Ryan ordered some tires online and we got them installed today. Whew. It makes me feel a lot better knowing that it's fixed. Plus, Ry says it makes a huge difference in the way it drives. Hooray new tires!

Mmmm, sleeping baby

T has been taking really inconsistent naps lately. I think he's transitioning to one nap per day. I'm OK with that, since the number of 2+ hour naps has been increasing. It's amazing what you can do when your baby is asleep for 2 hours.

The funniest, dirtiest man on TV

Mike Rowe, who hosts Dirty Jobs, was recently interviewed by Fast Company magazine. I've always enjoyed his sense of humor during the show, but I laughed until I cried when I read this piece of the article. Prior to Dirty Jobs, Mike hosted the graveyard shift on QVC. He had just returned from a weekend including lots of beer when he got the opportunity to host the prime time slot. Here is what happened next:

'He had just returned from a weekend getaway involving the beach, a case of Dos Equis, and one of those hand models, when a Sunday-evening emergency call arrived from the studio: The prime-time host was ill. Eager to prove his mettle, Rowe rubbed the weekend from his eyes and headed into work, only to find a display of collectible girlie dolls waiting for him. "There were dozens of little hobbits," he recalls, still sounding vaguely offended some 18 years later. "Little pixies from another time, just sitting there like these little Victorian whores. I thought it was a joke."

He was about to be humiliated in his first shot at prime time. "I'd already called everyone I knew to watch." The producer tried to calm him down, but in his panic, Rowe just reverted to his usual shtick. He picked up the first doll, Rachel--"a nightmare in crushed velvet"--by the hair and plopped her in his lap. "I think I described her as 'soulless, a little creepy but kind of hot,' and as 'a runaway from Little Women,'" he says now, rubbing his head. The crew on the set was dumbstruck. But, Rowe says, "I was really encouraged because the little whore sold out in record time."

Then someone handed Rowe a 2-foot nun doll named Sister Mary Margaret. "If you wound her up, she played 'Climb Every Mountain,' which I thought was hysterical." Rowe had four minutes to kill but ran out of material in 30 seconds, including the time he spent having her spank him with a ruler. Then he tried to crank up her music feature. "I've already announced that she plays music, and I'm squeezing her hand, looking around her neck, but I can't figure it out." When the technical director finally cut away to a display version of the same doll, Rowe, in desperation, turned the little sister upside down in his lap and peeled down her garment. He finally found the crank "in the small of her back, but it's really sort of in her ass." Unfortunately, the technical director cut back to Rowe without warning: "Suddenly, I see myself live on the monitor, with Sister Mary Margaret's face in my crotch, my hand on her ass, and her habit around her neck. And the damn thing is playing 'Climb Every Mountain.'" Rowe froze in horror, then made an unfortunate gesture not suitable for prime time. "It was not good."

By the time he got home, his answering machine was jammed. "The 47th message was my boss, inviting me not to come back," says Rowe. But an outcry from viewers earned him a second chance. "I was always on double supersecret probation," he says. And he rarely made it off the graveyard shift. He lasted three years.' (courtesy of Fast Company, Feb 2008).

Seriously, this man should report the news. I'd watch.

I'm up

It's 11:30 pm. I'm awake. Apparently sleeping next to someone for 4 years has rendered me completely unable to complete a task I did quite competently on my own for the first 24 years. Thankfully, my sleep inducer is coming home tomorrow.

In addition to not having warm husbandly goodness the past 3 days, I've also been doing a bit of soul-searching. I've enjoyed my two jobs post-grad school well enough. I'm just feeling that there must be something else I'm meant to be doing. I don't know what that is. In all reality, I probably won't be doing much of anything for a few years, but still, it keeps me up at night.

My life is so overfull of love, contentment and blessing that I should be passing that on in some form. HR, while lucrative for us, never turned me on the way other things have. After having a child and doing some reading around birth/nursing/etc I've been fired up about helping women to make their own choices about how these events unfold. While I don't regret my decisions during T's birth, I often wonder if I would have made different ones if the doctor hadn't come in 30 minutes after we got to the hospital and hooked me up to a pitocin drip. I credit one of the night nurses at the hospital with the fact that I am nursing T today. Without this night angel, I'm pretty sure I would have given up. Could I be a nurse/midwife? Or a lactation consultant? How does one become a lactation consultant, exactly?

I'm reading a book about the founding of the United States. I never realized what a strange and lucky occurrence it was. It, like many other books I've read recently, makes history come alive in a way that 12 years of school never did. If I had it to do over again, I think I'd be a history major, focusing in American Indian or Hawaiian history.

Then I read about the genocide in Darfur (and all over the globe) and wonder how I can make a difference in a country half a world away. Somehow donating a few dollars just doesn't cut it.

I admire people who know what they want to be when they grow up. I've never felt that passion for something. Lately, I've been feeling a passion to do something ... I just don't know what.

Sorry to drag you all into my late night ramblings. I'm hoping that getting them out of my brain might allow me to turn off for the night. Good night. Sleep tight.

I can has your attention now?

Every night after T goes to bed, Chief climbs up on Ry and demands his attention. It doesn't much matter what he's doing, reading, using the laptop, playing the DS, Chief crowds it all out. Poor kitteh is lonely.

Happy Lazy Day

The sum total of our productivity today was 0. It was lovely. Ry, T and I had a quiet little day in our beautiful new living room and didn't do much other than eat and snuggle. After a busy two weeks, it was just what we were looking for. I'm changing from last night's pjs into tonight's after a shower. Ahh.

Crabby baby sleeps

My baby has been extraordinarily crabby today. In his highchair, he cried. On the floor, he cried. In the shopping cart, he cried. In general, he cried today. It was a huge relief when he went to bed.

Whew

After several weeks of family here, our little house is quiet again. I'm sad. I really miss having family around ... they're good company. We also got the hardwood floors installed in the living room. Aren't they pretty?

Merry Christmas!

The Poopie Diaries Continued

"Oh look, T is crawling over to me. What a cute baby I have. Aw, he put his little head in my lap, I'm so glad I decided to have kids. What's on the carpet? Is that a popcorn kernel? Oh geez, it's poo. Oh ... it's under my thumbnail. Where's it coming from? Let's check your diaper kid. Oh man, poo all the way up the back. Alright then, let's go upstairs.

Stand up little man, I need to take your shirt off. One arm, now the other. Now the pants. Ok, let's lay down. Get some wipes ready here. And, off with the diaper. I'll put it behind you on the changing table. No, T, don't grab at that. T, I said no! Oh geez, now there are poo wipes on the floor. This just gets better and better. Ok, one hand on the baby, one hand picking up the wipes. How do I wrap this diaper? Whew, into the trash with you. Alright naked baby, let's go downstairs and take a bath.

Try not to pee on me, Ok?"

OK, just kidding

I went out to do the Christmas grocery run today. Oh, my, goodness ... not only was the store packed, what is normally a 20 minute drive home took nearly 40. When I said I missed the Christmas craziness, I was just kidding. Seriously.

Many Mini Meltdowns

Tucker has figured out how to throw a tantrum (aren't you all excited you decided to come see us now?). He's really interested in an outlet by our television. While he can't really hurt himself since the outlet closes as soon as you pull the plug out, it's not something I want him to play with. Today he kept pulling on the cords, even after a stern "no". When he actually pulled it out, I would pick him up and sit him across from the room and tell him "I said no". This prompted a tantrum that lasted about 60 seconds (until he found something else to pique his interest). I'm excited for him figuring out that tantrums don't work.

Because he's not fat enough

Chief ate my Chex Mix leftovers last night.

The Anticipation is Killing Me

For the first time this year, I am finished with all my Christmas shopping. In fact, I've been mostly done for several weeks now. I'm currently in some kind of strange holding pattern until family begins arriving on Sunday. I won't start the cleaning/grocery shopping for guests until tomorrow. This is a really unfamiliar feeling for me. For the past several years, I've been rushing around with all the other crazies trying to finish my Christmas shopping. This year, I'm done. There's nothing to do but wait. Do you remember the day before your birthday when you were a kid? This has been my feeling for the past week or so, made worse by the fact that Ry was out of town most of the week. It's killing me!!

Shweaty Balls? It must be Christmas!

Every year, Saturday Night Live does a Christmas Special showcasing some of the funniest SNL skits from the Christmas season. Every year I watch it for one skit: Shweaty Balls. This skit is, in my opinion, one of the funniest ever to come out of SNL. With lines like "I can't wait to get my mouth around your balls" and "If you order now, you can still get one of our Shweaty Ball Sacs", how can you keep from laughing? I was going to link to it from the blog, but with all the copyright crap, it's nowhere to be found online anymore. Here's to hoping you caught the skit this year and have your very own Shweaty Balls!

Some random thoughts

• My baby poos what seems an unnatural amount. Lately it seems like every time I pick him up there is poo to be changed. It's a shame I didn't keep track of the diaper count, because it's nearing what it was when he was a newborn.
• Daytime TV is scary. I generally watch Rachel Ray or The Price is Right when I get to work out in the morning. The other day, the TV stayed on after I finished yoga. Who are these people? A sampling of topics on Maury and Jerry Springer: "3 Babies, 1 Daddy", "The Secret Sex Lives of Teenage Girls" and "Deer Hunter" (a particularly spirited debate between two hunters about who was going to keep the woman they appeared to be passing between them). Also, the commercials on Rachel and Price are generally for Target, Power Chairs, life insurance and Pampers. Guess who the target audience is? Commercials on the others are for accident lawyers and payday loan places. While it was an interesting study, from now on, I'll be turning off the TV after yoga, as per usual.
• Christmas trees make me happy. It's hard to be in a bad mood when you have a cheerfully decorated tree that makes the house smell like a pine forest. It's a shame they have to die for my happiness, but I really hate fake trees.
• It's an ugly day. I used to wake up and dread these days because I still had to get out of the house and to work. Now, T and I get to hole up and play snow day.
  
• Last night, Ry made dinner. :)
• I'm really looking forward to having a house full of people for Christmas. It just doesn't seem like a holiday without more people than you have places for them to sit.
• T is 9 months old today! How is this possible?
  

Ho Ho F@#*ing Ho

The Christmas season really brings out the best in people. In what should be a time when people reflect on the blessings in their lives and choose how to share those blessings, most people are more stressed, uptight and angry than at any other time of the year.

Case #1: In line at Michael's to buy candles for my advent wreath, I saw another mother with a little girl a few months older than T. I smiled at her and T gave her a big, toothless grin. We started a little conversation when the mother turned around, gave me an evil glare and pushed her child and cart in front of her so we could no longer see each other. I have a baby for goodness sake! I'm not a creepy old crank staring at your baby.

Case #2: We were driving through a parking lot, apparently too slowly. The car behind us honked at us. How dare we drive through the parking lot?

For anyone who might be stressing about gifts for us ... don't. We have everything we need. Thank you for the thought, but we'd rather have your company (or phone calls) than anything you could buy for us. Have a wonderful Christmas remembering the real reason for the season.

The Poopie Diaries

When He Was 9 Months Old, There Was A Very Big Poo

It was a very big poo ...

Today T was in his exersaucer playing. I left the room and when I came back, Ry asked if I smelled "that". I did indeed. I pulled T out of the saucer and took a quick inventory. Whew, I thought, it wasn't exploding out any clothing ... that I saw.

So upstairs we went. I put T on the changing table and was about to get down to business when I saw what appeared to be poo on the bottom of his socks. A quick sniff confirmed my suspicions. Then I pondered ... how did he get poo on the bottom of his socks? Just about that time, I heard Ry coming up the stairs.

He said that the smell didn't leave the room with T and he discovered poo all over the bottom of the saucer. Now ... remember there was no noticeable poo coming out of any clothing. When we peeled off his pants we discovered that he pooed down his leg enough to cover the bottom of the saucer in poo. Truly, one of the more disgusting moments of my life as a mother. He went straight from changing table to bath.